Kenny Pickett has done just about everything possible to make fans believe his performances in the first two preseason games are a sign of things to come. Through a grand total of three drives in two preseason games, Pickett is 9 for 11 for 113 yards and two touchdowns. If you’re excited by this, then get in line. By the way, it’s a really long line. But how much of this preseason success can we take and translate to the regular season?
First, let’s gather some perspective here. If the second year QB had played three series and had gone 4 for 11 for 35 yards and an interception can you imagine the conversation we’d be having? Thankfully, that hasn’t been the case.
Secondly, we have to recognize a couple of things about NFL preseason football. Teams do not “game plan” for each other the way they would in the regular season. Exhibition games are much more about player evaluation in relatively ordinary situations. Teams also use relatively “vanilla” defensive schemes so as to be able to evaluate the players in as many “like situations” as possible.
So in terms of Kenny Pickett’s performances in the first two games, we need to temper our excitement a bit. This does not take a damn thing away from what he accomplished. He looks more confident, more poised and flat out better than he did at any point in his rookie season. He is throwing receivers open and putting the ball in spots where either his guy catches it or no one does. In short, he’s playing at a really high level.
Once the preseason ends this Thursday night however, Pickett will have roughly 17 days to prep for the San Francisco 49ers who happen to have one of the best defenses in pro football. One of two things will happen in that season opening game. Pickett will look every bit as good as he has in the preseason or he will come back to Earth with an average performance. There won’t be a middle ground here and you know it. Steelers’ fans don’t do “average” performances. They do greatness or they do, well, the complete opposite.
You’re probably reading this and thinking it’s a hit piece on Pickett but it’s actually just the opposite. He’s progressed positively in literally every step of his young career and I don’t see why that can’t continue. But you have to have context too. As fans, you have to realize that there are major differences between preseason and regular season games and just as importantly, you have to realize that what happens in the former has little to do with what happens in the latter.
As I stated earlier, Pickett is playing well and the guys around him are playing well too but we need to see it when it matters don’t we?
